Cover Story
The coronavirus has disrupted Detroit arts and culture — and yes, Metro Times, too
The spread of COVID-19 — the potentially deadly coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 175,049 people worldwide, and killed more than 6,706 in what the World Health Organization has declared to be a pandemic — has drastically disrupted daily life around the world. Officials are urging people to practice “social distancing,”…
463 new coronavirus cases reported in Michigan on Tuesday; death toll rises to 24
Michigan reported an additional 463 cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, along with nine new deaths, bringing the statewide case total to 1,791 in 42 counties. The uptick was the largest yet in Michigan as state and private labs increase their testing capacity. Still, most sick people are not getting tested, so the numbers are likely…
Without crowds, Detroit Zoo let penguins explore the grounds — take a look
Though human life has been turned on its head over the last two weeks — and will continue on this path for at least another three for Michiganders — animals are having the time of their dang lives. Domestic animals, normally left to their own lazy and mischievous devices during the workweek, are getting an…
Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith and 3 others charged in alleged embezzlement scheme
Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith and three government and business associates were charged numerous felony counts Tuesday for their alleged roles in an embezzlement scheme. Smith, who faces up to 20 years in prison, is accused of misusing forfeiture funds over a five-year span to pay for office furniture, campaign expenditures, country club parties, a…
Yes, Michigan liquor stores are considered ‘essential’ under the coronavirus executive order
As a great man once said, “Pour up, drank, head shot, drank, sit down, drank, stand up, drank, pass out, drank, wake up, drank, faded, drank, faded, drank.” Michigan, we may be facing a three-week stay-at-home order in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but we can still get faded as…
Wayne County’s moratorium on tax foreclosures causes collateral damage to some of Detroit’s most vulnerable
Last week, the Wayne County Treasurer announced a total moratorium on tax foreclosures for the year 2020 due to the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Suddenly, the pressure was off for over 12,000 properties, including 8,000 occupied homes in Detroit that were likely to be foreclosed this year. Most people’s first reaction…
Gov. Whitmer criticized for exempting churches from stay-at-home order
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order that prohibits “all public and private gatherings” does not apply to churches and other houses of worship. “Churches are exempt from penalty,” Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown told the Free Press on Monday. According to the new order, “a place of religious worship, when used for religious worship, is not subject…
Detroit police dispatcher dies after testing positive for coronavirus; 9 officers infected
A dispatcher for the Detroit Police Department has died after becoming infected with the coronavirus. The dispatcher was a 38-year-old civilian dispatcher, WXYZ-7 first reported. Detroit Police Chief James Craig plans to release more details at an 11 a.m. press conference. Nine Detroit police officers have tested positive for coronavirus as of Monday, Mayor Mike…
Herbie Hancock, Gregory Porter, and Dee Dee Bridgewater among headliners for 41st Annual Detroit Jazz Festival
Detroit’s Hart Plaza is going to see a lot of action come September. The lineup for the 41st Annual Detroit Jazz Festival was announced Monday, just after Gov. Whitmer issued a state-wide stay-at-home order for the next three weeks in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. This comes as some much needed good…
Coronavirus death toll doubles in 1 day in Michigan, with nearly 300 new reported infections
Michigan reported 293 coronavirus cases today, the largest single-day increase so far, bringing the state total to 1,328. In another troubling sign, the death toll doubled to 16. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical executive, warned Monday that “the number of cases could increase five-fold in the next week” if Michigan fails to take more…
Why President Trump’s comments about automakers’ shifting to ventilator production to fight the coronavirus are misleading — and dangerous
From the man who insists on referring to the COVID-19 as the “China virus” and who has downplayed the severity of the pandemic — even comparing it to the “common flu” just two weeks ago, while the coronavirus ravaged countries all over the world — President Donald Trump is now suggesting that medical ventilators are…
Michigan’s marijuana industry is deemed ‘essential’ during coronavirus outbreak
Looks like marijuana is “essential” in Michigan. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday required all non-essential businesses to close as part of a stay-at-home order to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Under the executive order, marijuana dispensaries are allowed to continue selling recreational and medical marijuana products, but only at the curb or by delivery,…
The Detroit Music Awards are a go — but will shift to an online format
The show must go online. On Monday, organizers announced that the 29th annual Detroit Music Awards would still take place, but through an online ceremony. The event, which was slated to take place on Friday, April 19 at the Fillmore, will now stream its award presentations and performances online. Per previous ceremonies, the 29th iteration…
Gov. Whitmer announces three-week stay-at-home order as coronavirus spreads in Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is ordering Michigan residents to stay in their homes as much as possible after the number of positive cases of the coronavirus soared to more than 1,200 with no sign of letting up. The stay-at-home order, announced at a Monday press conference, is similar to those already in place in California, Connecticut,…
Thanks to overwhelming support, Detroit Metro Times is pressing forward — despite the coronavirus
We’re not dead yet. To paraphrase one of the Motor City’s most notable mayors, “Detroit … you done set us up for a comeback!” Thanks to the overwhelming support from our readers and our advertisers, Metro Times is pressing forward with printing a paper edition this week — COVID-19 be damned. Last week, as a…
Detroit water activists urge Gov. Whitmer to provide free water stations during the coronavirus pandemic
Hand washing is an important practice to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but it’s a measure that thousands of Michiganders are unable to do in their own homes. Despite Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s March 9 call for restoration of water and sanitation services for thousands of disconnected Detroit homes, community leaders say many people…
Positive coronavirus cases in Michigan now top 1,000, with 8 dead
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases topped 1,000 in Michigan on Sunday as the death toll rose to eight. The state reported 249 new cases in 18 counties as public and private labs continue to expand their capacity to test for COVID-19. But the state still has nowhere near enough tests for every suspected case,…
Michigan’s coronavirus cases soar to 787, with 238 new infections reported Saturday
Michigan identified 238 new coronavirus infections Saturday in 17 counties, bringing the state’s total to 787. The positive cases continue to soar as more testing is done. For the third straight day, more than 200 new cases were reported. The state’s death toll rose to five. In Wayne County, 133 new positive cases were reported…
Gov. Whitmer dismisses rumor of stay-at-home order in Michigan, but says it’s possible in near future to combat coronavirus
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday she does not yet plan to issue a stay-at-home order like the ones implemented in the states of Illinois and California. At a press conference Friday, Whitmer dismissed rumors that she was planning to order a lockdown on all nonessential activity. “I’m not calling for martial law,” Whitmer said. “This…
How you can support Metro Times’ advertisers during the coronavirus shutdown
As you know, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has ground Detroit’s economy to a halt. Here’s how some of Metro Times’ sponsors have altered their business to weather the outbreak. Please support them if you can, and check back for updates! The Ark 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-761-1818; theark.org “To help our community manage…
Dispensaries in Detroit, Bay City sold cannabis cartridges tainted with potentially deadly vitamin E acetate
Three dispensaries in Michigan, including two in Detroit, sold cannabis vape cartridges that were tainted with vitamin E acetate, the potentially deadly chemical additive linked to the vaping-related lung illness. The state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA), which banned vitamin E acetate on Nov. 22, announced a recall Friday on numerous varieties of vaping cartridges sold…
Coronavirus cases rise sharply again in Michigan, bringing total to 549
The number of coronavirus cases in Michigan rose sharply to 549, with 225 new cases reported Friday. It was the second straight day with more than 200 new cases as state and private labs expand their capacity to test sick people. New cases were reported in 11 counties. The biggest increases came in Wayne County,…
Watch this 47-minute love fest between Eminem and boxer Mike Tyson on ‘Hotboxin’
Who would have thought that chatting with controversial professional boxer Mike Tyson would make Detroit’s hometown rap god feel like a kid again? Eminem is the latest to take to the ring on Hotboxin’ — Tyson’s podcast, where the record-breaking once-undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, author, and convicted rapist goes one-on-one with celebrities and athletes,…
More than 2,500 homes in Detroit still without water after city pledged to restore service amid coronavirus outbreak
As the coronavirus spreads rapidly through Detroit, more than 2,500 homes are still without running water — nearly two weeks after the city offered to restore the vital service at no cost. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) restored water to only 434 homes as of Thursday, the same day the state announced 62…
Detroit’s Movement festival has been rescheduled due to coronavirus concerns
It’s official, folks. Detroit’s Techno Christmas has been postponed and will now take place closer to actual Christmas. On Thursday, organizers announced that Movement, Detroit’s longstanding electronic music festival and Memorial Day weekend tradition, would be moving to Friday, Sep. 11 through Sunday, Sep. 13 due to the coronavirus. Festival producer Paxahau admits that the…
Detroit chefs team up to donate food to vulnerable communities during coronavirus outbreak
Detroit chefs and restaurateurs are coming together to give perishable food items and meals to local homeless shelters amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. They include Chef Maxcel Hardy of Coop Caribbean Fusion, Ron Bartell of Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles, Stephanie Byrd of The Block and Flood’s Bar, James Beard Award-nominated chef Genevieve Vang of Bangkok…
Big Sean finds zen, defends Detroit-style pizza, and talks coronavirus while eating the world’s hottest chicken wings on ‘Hot Ones’
Let’s hope Detroit rapper Big Sean — and his mouth — can “Bounce Back” after his appearance on the latest episode of the internet’s spiciest and most expertly edited show, Hot Ones. For the uninitiated, a typical episode of Hot Ones goes a little something like this: Hot Ones’ esteemed host who happens to have…
Michigan reports 256 new coronavirus cases as more testing kits become available
The number of coronavirus cases in Michigan dramatically rose to 336, with 256 new cases reported Thursday. The significant increase comes as the state and private labs obtain more testing kits. Wayne County was hit the hardest, with 96 new cases, followed by Oakland County, with 82 new cases. Macomb County had 45 new cases.…
Happy Spring — you can now watch rare peregrine falcons nesting in the Detroit Zoo water tower
The human world may have come to a grinding halt in the past week due to the coronavirus, but for the animal kingdom, it’s business as usual. In an effort to, you know, curb the desire to recklessly tug at the ever-fraying threads of our terrifying new reality, the Detroit Zoo has given folks a…
Michigan dispensaries urge Gov. Whitmer to classify marijuana as ‘essential’ to avoid a shutdown due to coronavirus
Michigan’s marijuana industry is urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to classify marijuana as an “essential item” to ensure that it remains available as the state continues to take steps to combat the coronavirus outbreak. So far, the state has allowed dispensaries to remain open, and on Monday, the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency encouraged the cannabis businesses…
Michigan distilleries are now making hand sanitizer to help fight the coronavirus
While Big Three automakers consider switching gears to manufacturing hospital equipment to help coronavirus patients — a new Arsenal of Democracy, as it were — Michigan distilleries are doing their part to fight the virus. Thanks to revised federal regulations from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, distilleries can now produce ethanol-based hand…
Three coronavirus deaths reported in Michigan as total cases reach 110
Three Michigan residents who tested positive for the coronavirus died Wednesday. They are the first coronavirus-related deaths reported in Michigan. Beaumont Hospital reported the death of a man in his 50s who had underlying health issues. A woman in her 50s who also had underlying health issues died at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac. And…
A complete Census count needs all Michigan kids
Michigan households now are receiving 2020 Census forms in the mail — and while the goal is to count everyone, there is concern that some children may be overlooked. The suspension of field operations for two weeks to figure out how to keep census workers safe won’t interfere with individuals filling out the forms. Millions…
First coronavirus death reported in Michigan as total number of positive cases rises to 80
Michigan reported its first coronavirus death on Wednesday as the new number of positive cases rose from 60 to 65. The new cases are in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Of those, five are in Detroit, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Oakland and Wayne counties each have 23 total cases.…
Metro Times lays off 8 staff members as coronavirus grinds Detroit to a halt
In light of the unprecedented economic catastrophe brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Metro Times is heartbroken to tell you we temporarily laid off 8 employees today. The cuts came from virtually every department, including sales, production, editorial, and events. It’s our sincere hope that after weathering this storm, we’ll be able to bring back…
Former federal Judge Patrick J. Duggan died in hospice care Wednesday
Patrick J. Duggan, who served as an influential federal judge for 29 years in Detroit, died Wednesday morning. Duggan, the father of Mayor Mike Duggan, was 86. Born in Detroit in 1933, Duggan received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School and was in private practice until 1976. In 1977, Duggan…
US, Canada close border to nonessential traffic to combat coronavirus outbreak, Trump says
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday morning that the U.S. and Canada have reached a “mutual” deal to close the border to “non-essential traffic” to combat the coronavirus. “We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic,” Trump tweeted. “Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!” Before Trump’s…
Adventures in biosecurity at C3 Industries, a high-tech marijuana growing facility
It seemed like an instructive moment for where the world we’re living in is headed. “We take biosecurity very seriously, so I need you to walk through this foot bath,” says Joel Ruggiero, chief horticultural officer for C3 Industries. “Please rub your feet on the bristles and dry them on this carpet.” He gestures toward…
‘The Hunt’ should have stuck to its guns
With a news cycle that’s become a constantly churning miasma of scandal and calamity, you’ve no doubt forgotten the mini shit tornado of faux outrage that accompanied The Hunt last fall — a swirl of fake controversy that led to the film being shifted into the cinematic dumping ground of late winter before anyone had…
Savage Love: Talking dirty
DEAR READERS: I live in Seattle, the U.S. epicenter of the novel coronavirus epidemic, with my family. A lot of my readers wrote this week to wish us well. We are fine — scared, but fine — washing our hands compulsively and staying close to home. I’m going to keep churning out the column and…
Horoscopes (March 18-24)
ARIES | March 21 – April 20: You’re at a huge turning point. It looks to me like some things have run their course, and what’s next is floating around in the ethers. You have yet to let go of whatever you’ve been doing up till now. There are decisions to make. Part of you…
Remembering Motown’s magical ‘moments’
As we count down to our 40th anniversary in October, we’ve been revisiting our archives to highlight Metro Times stories that resonate in 2020. 30 years ago in Metro Times: Former Creem editor Dave Marsh, writing in his Rock & Roll Confidential column, recounts what record producer Jon Landau said when Motown’s Holland-Dozier-Holland were inducted…
Well, at least here’s some good news…
Ray Gray: The copy of the Metro Times featuring a cover story about my long struggle for freedom was very well received, not only by Barbe and I, but well wishers and supporters. Thank you to all the staff who assisted in making it successfully possible. As a result, a reputable law firm has agreed…
The buck stops elsewhere
In six words on Friday afternoon, Donald Trump summed up not only his team’s botched handling of the coronavirus outbreak, but also his approach to the presidency generally: “I don’t take responsibility at all.” Surrounded by corporate execs, Trump used the Rose Garden press conference to (finally) declare a national emergency. Mostly, however, the event…
Salvadorian pupusa-maker Buena Fe thrives in Oak Park
I asked Buena Fe co-owner Jose Barrientos why Salvadorian pupusas are a little different from those I’ve tried at Honduran spots in Detroit. At Buena Fe, they’re noticeably lighter, I told him. He quickly clarified an important point with a slight smile: “Pupusas were invented in El Salvador. Not that how Hondurans do them is…
